The Turning Point of Hobo Girl Leaf
by Super Robot Malinarlen
Summary: Red: the mute, future hero of Kanto. Gary: the cocky and neglected rival. And Leaf... Well. She's a dedicated hobo. "Swing by the lab if you ever want to see this again, kay, hobo girl? Smell ya later!" Oldrivalshipping. Guriburu, Blue, Green. Cover art by EarlGengar.
1. Wherever She Lays Her Hat

_Just past the white picket fence– right beside the clear blue water. If I look out, I can see the lab in the distance from here. I'd say this place is my home, but I don't really have a home. _

Shuffling around in the itchy grass, Leaf peaked out from underneath her blanket of newspapers and old, softened cardboard. _Well, that's just fine– home or no home–_ '_cause_ _I'm a hobo._ Off in the distance, a light turned on in the lab she had been thinking of; a lab with two portrait windows and numerous portholes. For the past few days its activity had increased dramatically. For example, it was only in the morning and its professor, a man named Oak, was already up.

"Hm, coffee time," Leaf said, brushing her thick mane of hair back and traipsing down to a dead campfire by the water. Conveniently nearby were her dirty old coffee pot and chipped mug. Carefully, she lifted a pile of week-old coffee grounds from a stack of newspapers and sniffed them. They had dried and cured just enough since yesterday morning.

"Right," the girl uttered. Re-lighting the campfire, she began her morning ritual, wasting away by the water's edge and basking in smoky heat. Such was her life. It was a hobo's life.

_Floating and free,_ she thought to herself. At last her coffee was done brewing. After pouring herself a cup, she drank the extra weak and bitter black brew. _Some people might find this disgusting, but this is truly the only way for me. I don't think I want anything else._

"The cold morning air and the chilling dew on the grass. Ah," she sighed happily to herself, yanking up one of her blue legwarmers. "Nothing could ruin this beautiful morning."

But something did ruin that beautiful morning. At a little past six, the lab's rarely seen professor threw open its front door and darted outside. His grandson, yelling angrily after him, chased the old man past the unpaved street corner before giving up.

_Can't keep up with an old man, can he?_ Leaf mused, sipping the remaining two drops in her coffee mug. Unashamedly, she stared blankly out at the professor's spiky haired grandson. She felt there was nothing wrong with this, as she was completely removed from the drama of his life– it was if she were watching a car chase on the morning news. Detached. This was what it meant to be a hobo, after all.

Sensing her staring his way, the boy turned his head. Usually, people would look away after making eye contact with an unkempt girl like Leaf, but this boy was looking for an outlet to vent his grief. In the girl before him he saw a public nuisance: a drain on society's generous pockets. To him, Leaf was an acceptable target. He began walking towards the white picket fence which walled her in.

_Hm?_ Leaf perked up, clasping her mug tightly to absorb any of its remaining warmth. _He's coming this way. Is he going to throw me some cash? Maybe I should put my hat down on the ground._ Reaching the fence, the boy leaned over it, glaring at her.

"Hey." He tilted his head up, cockily asserting his authority. "Pick up your trash and go. You're ruining the view, you know?"

"I pick up at noon," she said, taking off her hobo hat. Despite her filthy life, her hat's fabric was surprisingly white and clean. She held it out toward him. "But I can leave sooner with a small donation." She smiled invincibly at him, which was probably the greatest mistake she could ever make.

The professor's son looked down at this hobo girl, frustrated by her calm and unbeatable demeanor. She was a teenager, around his age, who didn't care about how she looked– and she dared to look good while doing it, too.

"Let me get this straight," he said, grinning irritably at her. "You think you can muck up the landscape and then make me pay for it?" Frowning, the girl pulled her hat away from him.

"Hey. Hobos do a greater good. Look," she said, turning her attention to a sack full of bottles and cans behind her. "I collected these. Some of them might even be yours. Sometimes, pokemon get their feet stuck in them, so it's good to–" the boy easily reached over the fence and snagged her hat.

"Whoa, I've got the hobo girl's hat!" he taunted, waiving it around. "You probably never bathe, huh? This hat! I bet it smells awful." Eager to confirm his prediction, he stuck his nose past its brim and sniffed.

Leaf shot up to her feet, mortified by his aggressive action. To her surprise, the boy clasped the hat tightly to his face and froze in place.

The hat's scent was nothing like he expected, and likewise, nothing could have prepared him for it. Unexplainably sweet and fruity, it drew his nose in further. Sticking his nose all the way into the hat, he completely lost himself in it.

_It's almost as if... I want to eat this hat, _he realized horrifically. How could it smell so good? His face began burning as he considered that it just might be her pheromones.

"A–as I expected," he stammered, pulling the hat away from his face and raising it over his head. "It really does smell awful. I'll have to confiscate it."

"No! Give it back–" Leaf growled, jumping up and trying to grab it. Laughing at her, the boy capitalized on his height and tugged it far out of her reach, provoking her with his mean-spirited game.

"Too short? Heh. What a shame." He smirked foolishly. "The name's Gary Oak. You have a name too, right?"

She glared up at him fiercely, insulted by the forceful manner in which he was conducting introductions.

"Tch. Swing by the lab if you ever want to see this again, kay, hobo girl? Smell ya later!" Twirling the hat on his finger, he turned and strutted away– proud of the distress he had caused her.

Leaf crouched down beneath the fence's shadow, silently, and wild Tangela scurried and rustled through the grass behind her where she sulked. Though she wasn't one to care much for material possessions, her hat was different. It reassured her, like a shield, and it gave her the confidence to stand up for herself.

She needed that hat.

Reaching for her nearby bed of newspapers, she slid out a sheet and flattened it. Diligently, she began folding it crossways.

* * *

"Hey! Gramps! No fair!" Gary stomped, causing everyone in the lab to look his way. "What about me?"

"Be patient, Gaylord." Professor Oak coughed into his hand, addressing his grandson. "I'll give you one later."

"... Pft," a dark haired boy in a red trucker hat snickered, entertained by his prank.

"My name isn't Gaylord!" Gary blasted indignantly, noticing the dark haired boy's amusement. Turning, he grabbed him by his jacket collar. "Tch, Red! You really like toying around with gramp's dementia, huh? Well I've had enough of this, you little stinker–"

"..." Leaning close, Red blew a puff of hot air right in Gary's face.

"Ugh!" Gary yelled, shoving him away and wiping at the offended area. _I swear. Ever since he turned eleven two years ago, that stinker hasn't been the same!_ Recovering from the surprise attack, Gary noticed another person in their presence. Standing between the lab's bookshelves was none other than the hobo girl he had bullied earlier.

Staring at him boldly, she waited, all while proudly wearing a pointy newspaper hat.

"What the," Gary pointed at her, too shocked to even laugh at its ridiculousness, "what the heck is that on your head?"

"It's my temp hat," she finally said. "I had to wear it since you stole my real one."

"What? You didn't _have_ to wear it."

"Hm. Whatever. I came for my real hat." Leaf grew angry, walking up to Gary. "So give it back."

Glaring piercingly at the girl, he snapped around when he noticed his quieter rival reaching for the only pokeball on the professor's table. "No way!" Gary charged and interrupted, selfishly snatching it up. "Red, I want this pokemon!"

"Gaylord! What are you doing?" Professor Oak demanded.

"Gramps, I want this one!" Gary cried, grief-stricken by the fact that his own grandpa still didn't remember his name.

"But I... Oh, all right then. That pokemon is yours. I was going to give you one anyway..." Oak trailed, pulling a pokeball from his lab coat's pocket. "Red, come over here."

"..." Silent as usual, Red scooted away from the table and stopped to gaze mysteriously at Leaf.

_Is he going to throw some cash at me?_ she wondered, taking off her hat. _Should I hold my hat out?_ Her hobo ways seldom changed, even in domestic settings. Taking a backwards glance at Gary, Red lumbered forward and rested his dark head on Leaf's shoulder, followed by his dead weight.

_What is he doing?_ Leaf panicked, feeling her knees buckling under his weight. Though he was the shorter of the two boys in the room, he was still taller and heavier than her.

He snored lightly, taking a quick snooze at her expense.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Gary demanded, inexplicably angry. "You can't just ignore my gramps and then harass my hobo!"

"... ... ..." Red didn't appear to say anything to Gary, but the pure silence riled the obnoxious rival up nevertheless.

"I'll make you eat those words." Gary threatened fatally.

"I think he's just tired. Maybe he's nocturnal?" Leaf suggested, managing to hold Red upright. "Cut him some slack."

"I'll cut _you_ some slack!" Gary threatened arbitrarily before turning to Professor Oak. "Hey, gramps. Fix her up with a pokemon, too, right? I'm gonna make her work for once in her life."

"But it seems I... don't have any more pokemon left," Oak said, leaning on his computer desk and clicking at his ancient mouse. "Hmm, not in this box, either. Did I give them all away already? I can't remember..."

"Gramps!"

"Oh, calm down! I have just the solution." Oak waived his hand to dismiss his grandson. "Put Red on the table and we'll go."

Listening to the old man, Leaf dragged the strange sleeping boy halfway across the floor before Gary butted in and grabbed him by his jacket collar. With all his strength, he slung Red onto the table like a frozen bird.

"That oughtta do it. Now let's get going." Gary fidgeted and pointed toward the door.

"I just want my hat back." Leaf stubbornly shook her head. "Why go through all this?"

"Didn't you hear me the first time? Heh. I'm gonna make you work." He arrogantly tilted his head back. "With a pokemon battle."

"You mean... I have to battle you for my hat?" she asked, wondering if his suggestion was for real. The premise alone was incredibly absurd.

"That's right. Is it so hard to believe?"

"No. It's not only that. It's also that you went and assumed that I had no pokemon."

"But you don't, do you?" He was right on this point, and they both knew it. Leaf was unaware of the fact that the boy had been casually observing her from the lab for the past week. If hobos could watch people in detachment, people could watch them right back.

"You two, follow me," Professor Oak said, leading them through the lab and back outside. Down the way he took them, eventually stopping at the picket fence by Leaf's campsite. "I remember seeing some rare pokemon here..." The professor shielded his eyes from the bright afternoon sun.

"You're right. There's a nest of Tangela here," Leaf explained. "They're finicky around strangers, though, so you have to sit still for them to appear."

"Well, it seems you're quite familiar with them! And you're not in possession of one already?"

"None. I actually don't have any pokemon."

"We'll change that soon enough," Oak huffed, struggling to climb over the short little fence.

"Gramps, take it easy! You're gonna pull your hip out," Gary complained, grabbing his grandfather's arms.

"Let go of me!" the professor snapped. "Who are you?...!"

"It's me! Gary! Your grandson!"

"Oh, yes yes. I remember now." Oak retreated from the fence, pulling his leg back over it. "You're a spry youngling, Gary, go over there and catch her a Tangela." He handed Gary a handful of spare pokeballs.

"Tch. Fine, whatever," Gary grumped, easily hopping over the fence. Silently he glanced around, all before looking back at Leaf and smirking. "You watching, hobo girl? This is how a pro catches pokemon. Pay attention, and make sure you pick up on some of my mad skills."

"Mad skills?" Leaf repeated. _It's been seven years since I've heard anyone use that term._ She stared off into space, trying to make sense of his outdated slang.

"Alright! Come to papa." Gary gritted his teeth, watching the grass shake in anticipation. Out flapped a common pidgey, ruining the impressive moment. "Dang it!"

"Keep on trying, Gaylord," Oak said.

"It's GARY."

Another half hour passed with similar results. Growing tired and drowsy from the heat, Professor Oak bumbled away, but only after being pestered by his grandson to do so.

"Go, go! You'll get heatstroke and die or something." Gary waived the old man away.

"Oh my, it's tea time at Daisy's." Oak hurried.

"Tch! So you still remember my big sis's name, _huh_?" Gary crankily blasted the old man for the injustice. "Huh?" He looked down and noticed Leaf crouching at his feet. "What are you doing down there, hobo girl?"

"Calling the Tangela," she said. "Since you're scaring them off with your loudness."

"Heh. They're just intimidated by my girth, is all." He pompously held his nose up.

"I'm not sure if that's a good thing." She took off her temporary newspaper hat. _Wouldn't that mean you're fat?_

"Well you do your thing, and I'll do mine. Heh." In a conceited display, he pocketed his hands and leaned back as far as humanly possible.

And so, Leaf got on her hands and knees and lowered herself flat against the grass. Her brown tangled hair draped over her face as she stuck her nose into the hidden soil. Gary snickered as he watched her, saying something derogatory to make fun of her efforts:

"Have you ever heard of a brush? I guess that's why you need that hat back."

Ignoring him, she shook her head, loudly flopping her hair about. As strange as an action as this was, it was successful in that it attracted a whole horde of Tangela. Rushing from the nearby thicket, they peeked out meekly– their vine-like hair feeling all around for the source of the sound.

"Get over here, you little weed smackers!" Gary yelled at them, causing most of them to retreat back.

"No, no! You have be quieter." Leaf held her head in anguish. She was starting to feel that she would never see her hat again.

"Whatever. Cowards be cowards. Heh." Gary crossed his arms.

Leaf was about ready to jump kick him in the face.

But bravely, one single, determined Tangela leapt out. Shrieking and flailing its blue vines wildly, it moved its tiny feet and charged across the grass.

"Aw, it's so cute," Leaf commented, much to Gary's disdain.

"Cute? That thing's about as cute as a Dewgong's floating ball of dung–" the Tangela jumped up and latched onto his face. "Argh! Get it off! ...Uncle!"

"What are you doing? Hurry up and catch it."

"Nads! It's on my face, in case you haven't noticed!"

"Right, I guess it can't be helped," Leaf said, reaching up and prying away the feisty ball of vines. With short sounding pops, the creature's vines easily detached, leaving the fleshy extensions wrapped loosely around Gary's face.

"That's it! _It_ just got real," he complained, pulling the vines from his face with determination. Whipping out his newly acquired pokeball, he threw down, releasing the monster held within. "Go! Eevee!"

"Eevee? ...That's a palindrome." Leaf mused.

"Be quiet and pay attention!" Gary demanded seriously. "Unlike that noob Red, I've been working with my gramps for _years.._. I _know_ how to catch pokemon. First, you weaken them... Eevee, tackle attack it!" Mewling loudly, Eevee charged forward and slammed into Tangela, sending it rolling like a tumbleweed. "Again!" Obeying Gary's commands, Eevee slammed into the creature once more, causing the mass of weeds to pant and spin dizzily.

"Huh? Is that all?" Leaf asked, somewhat interested.

"No! Next is the final step." Gary took out a spare pokeball. "Now to chuck a blank pokeball at its unfortunate noggin."

"Wow. You _are_ skilled."

"Heh. Of course," he announced, oblivious to her patronizing tone. Winding back his arm, he pitched and sent the ball whirling. Smacking into Tangela, it exploded open and sucked the creature inside before landing on the ground. Standing in place, Gary watched the ball's twitching movements intensely. "And now, you have to watch to see if the ball breaks open. If so, repeat step 3 or try to put the booger to sleep or something."

"Hm? Why can't you just take the ball and hold it shut?"

"You seriously wanna try that? You'll break your arms off!"

At last the pokeball stopped moved. Grinning victoriously, Gary snatched it up and tossed it into the air. Moving back, he caught it easily– spinning it on his finger to show off his dexterity. "Uh huh. _That's_ how it's done. Heads up." He threw the pokeball into her hands.

"Uah," she muttered, fumbling to hold the capsule close. Looking at its shiny surface, a powerful feeling enveloped her. _My very own pokemon, huh? Will it stay with me forever?_

"Welp, I've got a whelp to beat," Gary said, stretching his arms up over his head. "Get a handle on your pokemon and come by my house later. It's the big one behind the lab, can't miss it. I'll be waiting, hobo girl. Be smelling ya." He strutted away.

Leaf frowned at his back, uncertain of whether to be thankful or vindictive. _At the end of this, I'll have more than just my hat back..._ she realized. Looking down at her pokeball, she fought to keep from smiling. "Yeah. Now I have another mouth to worry about feeding."

_~To be continued...~_

* * *

Why the heck am I writing about a hobo? ...


	2. Hi, I'm Daisy!

"Are you ok now?" Leaf asked gently, lifting Tangela from the water. Sparkling in the noonday sun, Tangela blinked his big eyes and warbled cutely. "A quick dip seemed to help. But how's your strength?" Setting Tangela on the dry shore, Leaf watched intently as the round, tiny tangle of vines checked his surroundings. Suddenly shooting out his tendrils, he ingrained them into the mud. "Ah. That's a better idea." Leaf approved. "Suck up all the nutrients you need."

Turning her head, Leaf caught sight of someone finally leaving the lab. It was that dark haired boy in the trucker hat, the one who had fallen asleep on her earlier. _Red, is it?_ she finally remembered his name. Observing him– as she often observed people– she saw that he now had a pokemon in his stead: a small, blobby yellow creature with big ears and a thunderbolt tail. It barely followed him, turning its cheek away and pouting every step of the way, all until they disappeared down the distant road.

"Ah. Didn't that Hat Thief say he was heading off to go beat someone? He must've bullied Red into a battle." Leaf rationalized. _Poor Red. It's not fair when Gary has so much more experience. I hope Red didn't lose too hard. Well. At least he got a cute pokemon out of it._

"So it's not so bad." Leaf straightened her back, looking down at the clear water lapping the shore at her knees. Taking off her newspaper hat, she held it in hand. _But this temporary hat... _"It's no good," she finally spoke, setting it loose in the water. Swept by the strong yet calm tide, the newspaper hat floated over the clear water and out toward the distant jade sea.

"Tangela, I have a selfish request," Leaf said, standing up to better watching the sailing paper boat. "It's why you were pulled from your peaceful life to begin with... Something precious was taken from me and I need your help to get it back."

Silently, Tangela looked up at his trainer. Slithering his vines, he wished to tell her that he was interested in following her, but he wasn't sure how to go about it. At last, he looked out at the water before him– just in time to see the paper boat give out and get dragged under.

"You see, that boy took a piece of what you could call," Leaf trailed, dropping her arms at her sides. "my past happiness and strength."

_To rely so much on a hat is absurd, but..._

_That hat cannot be replaced!_

"So. Will you follow me?" Leaf asked. Smiling down at Tangela, she held her hand down to him. At last, he had a way to answer her. Chirping and clicking strangely, he extended a vine from his head and wrapped it around her offered hand. He wasn't sure what it was, but he liked something about this human. Maybe it was her hair.

"It's settled then. Let's get going... To the house of Oak's grandson!"

* * *

Tilting her head back, Leaf gazed up at the two-story's red peaked roof. Though the house was quaint in its design, its freshly painted exterior and glistening windows made it far more impressive than the dingy, yet similar house across the street from it.

"Is this what he meant by 'you can't miss it'?" she asked, lowering her head to address Tangela. "It gives a feeling of opulence. I guess they're pretty well off with a professor in the family– and all."

Tangela simply slithered his vines and blinked. He was visibly nervous about entering a human's home, especially when he knew a fight was approaching.

"Here goes." Leaf paced forward. Raising her knuckle to the front door, she knocked bravely and waited several bloated seconds. Swiftly, the door pulled back and a stranger greeted her– a young, brown haired woman with a graceful smile.

"Hi!" she greeted ecstatically, as if she had known Leaf all her life. "Good timing. It's still tea time. Would you like to join me?"

"Uh. I'm," Leaf looked around, unsure of how to answer. She wasn't expecting such an invitation, but it was too pleasant for her to decline. "I didn't come here for tea, but that sounds– nice."

"Right, right." The girl energetically nodded her head. "Come on in. It's always nice to have people over for tea. Don't be shy!"

"Thank you," Leaf said, holding the door open slightly for Tangela. Stepping immediately into the dining room with Tangela close, a warm and grateful feeling blossomed in her gut. It had been about a month since she had felt the non-drafty and cozy air which always lingered in a family home. With shaking hands, she fought back ridiculous tears of nostalgia and joy.

"Are you alright?" The young woman asked. Concerned by Leaf's quivering, she took the younger girl's hands and observed them carefully. "Oh, they're so cold! And your clothes are a bit dirty. You're a traveller, aren't you? If you don't mind me asking, would you like to get cleaned up?"

Looking down at her own hands, Leaf right away noticed what the young woman must've noticed: her dirt-caked fingernails and darkened, calloused skin.

"I think I should," Leaf said, smiling politely. _I didn't realize I was so grubby._

"Right. I'll get you a towel." The young woman hurried into the closet under the stairs. "And spare clothes. The bathroom's right behind you, and my wash bucket's the green one, so feel free to use it."

"Huh?" Leaf turned around, coming face to face with the bathroom's sliding door. _Did I misunderstand something?_

"I'll scrub your back, _and_ groom your pokemon while I'm at it!" The young woman emerged with an armload of towels, bottles, and scrub brushes.

_Am I really THAT dirty?_ Leaf shook in apprehension.

There was no time to protest, for she and Tangela were shoved into the bathroom and strictly ordered to change.

"The sooner you hand them over, the sooner I can wash them for you." A disembodied hand reached through the door crack, seemingly making demands for Leaf's clothing.

_Just who IS this woman?_ Leaf panicked, immediately stripping her clothes as commanded. _Is she related to that Hat Thief? Should I really be giving her my clothing?_

"Go ahead and wash up. Then wrap yourself up with this towel." The hand pushed a terry cloth roll through the door. "I'll be in later to condition your hair!"

The door slid shut.

"You suppose we have a time limit?" Leaf asked, looking down at Tangela for answers. He calmly blinked.

After a refreshing ten minutes of scrubbing and dousing herself with soap and hot water, Leaf jumped when she heard a knock on the bathroom door.

"You ready?" The young woman kindly asked.

There would've been an endless, awkward silence had the kind lady not been so talkative all the while. Leaf sat, wrapped, on the wooden bath stool as cold conditioner was combed gently through her hair.

"And you see, I think it would look cute if your hair was layered– here and there." The young woman said, holding up thick strands on opposite sides of Leaf's head. "Oh, that's right. We haven't made introductions yet! Well– it feels as if I've known you forever, anyway! My name is Daisy Oak. You can just call me Daisy. Grandpa mentioned how my little brother brought a girl named Leaf to the lab. That was you, right?"

"He remembered my name?" Leaf narrowed her eyes in disbelief. _Yet he can't remember his own grandson's?_

"Yes. I'll tell you about that, it's unfortunate, but also rather funny," Daisy said, combing Leaf's hair back. "But my grandfather has trouble remembering the names of young men. Though, he still mixes up faces either way. Oh, Tangela, don't worry– you're next." She stopped to pat the vine pokemon's impatient head. He was anxiously awaiting his promised scalp massage.

After a professionally quick hair trim and treatment for both, along with a few rinses from the wash bucket– Leaf and Tangela were left to relax in the hot tub.

"Later, I'll teach you about summer-time care for Tangela," Daisy spoke through the door, sounding delighted about it. "Let's sit together and have tea as we discuss it. Oh, I wonder what kind I should brew now? It has to be a fresh pot. Ah, I should get out my new tea set–"

_She's so nice._ Leaf became teary-eyed at the thought– and even more grateful. _That is– she's really different from her little brother. How could they possibly be related?_

Leaning back, she pulled her arm close as she felt Tangela brush past like a bundle of reeds.

* * *

Slouching in through the front door, Gary grumbled and whined strangely as he dragged halfway up the stairs.

"Little brother?" Daisy asked, holding a big-eyed Jigglypuff teapot. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah! Sure." Gary snapped, disappearing into his room momentarily. With a significant amount of haste, he dodged back out and leaned over the railing. "Hey!" he said. "You gave Red one of those maps, didn't ya?"

"Of course." His sister smiled, carefully setting the teapot on the table. "Red tries his best, yet he gets lost so easily."

"Oh yeah?" Gary retorted. "Well he can try his best to get lost _permanently_." He threw back his head and let out a triumphant laugh at his clever comeback.

"You lost to Red, didn't you?"

"That's none of your business!"

Haughtily marching down the stairs, he stopped in front of his sister and let out a huff.

"Fix me some food, sis," he demanded helplessly. "I'm going to relax now."

"I was going to fix food, anyway."

"Whatever. If anyone shows up, give me a shout."

And so he marched to the bathroom door. Spitefully, he thought to himself how rude and ungrateful it was for that hobo girl to have not shown up already. _How slow can she be?_ he thought judgementally. _And she made such a big deal out of that hat, too! I guess it wasn't __that__ important._

He slid the bathroom door open.

Though she was sitting up to her chest in steaming tub water, and obscured just enough by it, Leaf flinched when she noticed him. And though she had every right to scream, she did not. Instead, she sunk further into the water, hoping he'd quickly close the door and pretend that nothing had ever happened.

But he would have none of that.

"WHAT THE?" he yelled ungraciously. "What kind of loser leaves the bathroom door unlocked? And why the heck are you naked in MY house? I said to come here for a battle, not a bath and spa treatment! There's acceptable limits you know, and nowh–" He went on with his long-winded rant for seconds longer, effectively pinning all the blame on her.

"Shouldn't I be the angry one?" Leaf muttered, plucking Tangela up from the water. The heat had already made the pokemon a bit woozy– as his eyes were rattling around– though she suspected it was Gary's yelling.

"–lot of nerve. That's why you should get one," Gary finished. "Get out!"

"Alright," Leaf mildly stated, splashing and reaching her arms over the tub's side. "I guess I do bathe where I shouldn't. Well. At least I'm not being arrested this time! Hand me my towel, please."

Overwhelmingly flustered by her strange comment, he turned even redder when he realized what it meant. Quickly retreating, he slammed the door shut. Only the drip of water was audible over the low murmur of the bathroom fan.

"What a weird boy," Leaf spoke out from the silence. _I was mostly joking._

"What a WEIRD girl," Gary huffed to himself, pacing away from the door. Looking up, he noticed his sister staring at him oddly– a mixture of amusement and disturbing pride stretched across her face.

"Did you see how I styled her hair?" she demanded. "It's my best work yet."

"I didn't have any time to notice her hair!"

"Then what DID you notice?"

"I didn't notice anything!"

"Nonsense," Daisy chimed, stuffing a tea ball. "She has a cute body. None of my shirts are large enough to fit her, so I'll need one of yours."

"Yeah, sure! Give her my clothing. Give her my room while you're at it, too!" Gary smart-mouthed. "Heck, why don't you just give her my whole name and kick me out on the street?"

"You're so generous. I'll set up your sleeping bag under the table."

"WHAT?"

"I'm counting on you! Now go fetch that shirt."

Not having much say in the matter, Gary found himself upstairs– grumbling as he pulled a purple long-sleeve from his dresser drawer. Holding it up to the light, he tried to figure out whether it would work for the hobo girl or not.

"Hey sis, how fat is she?" he unceremoniously yelled downstairs. Though no response came, he was soon distracted by motion outside his window.

Down on the road below was his rival, Red, carrying a brown parcel under his lanky arm. Stepping off the dirt path, the dark haired boy ran into the back of Oak's lab and thumped against it loudly for several moments. Finally ending his random movements, he circled around the town three more times before finally entering the lab.

"Heh heh heh," Gary laughed mercilessly. "It's like he's a noob to life itself." _Or,_ he considered further. _An alien is piloting him..._

Without further delay, he left to go downstairs, his mind already scheming on about how to beat Red. _I should leave now and get a head start on him,_ he considered.

But he still had plans for Leaf.

_~To be continued...~_

* * *

Thanks, **salty pudding**, **WaveMasterYami**, **LuckyTigger**, **Meta-Akira**, and **Sweet but Psycho**!

_Is Leaf going to do gym battles? _ Probably. :D


	3. Turning Over a New Leaf

Holding Tangela's pokeball tightly, Leaf stepped out from the bathroom with dripping wet hair, wearing nothing more than Gary's purple long-sleeve shirt. Drooping off her shoulders and down past her knees, it looked more like a dress than anything. _What is the purpose of this?_ she pondered, knowing full well that she had gone along with this makeover just to make a certain person happy.

"An oversized boy's t-shirt," Daisy said; "and a traditional princess hime cut hairstyle... Perfect!" She grabbed Leaf and smothered her up in a hug. "I've created a look which instills protectiveness. A look which triumphs over all contest categories..." Finally letting go, she giggled insanely.

"–I don't get why you needed my shirt," Gary interrupted. "Because really! I think you could've gotten the same exact effect with one of yours!"

"Conversion complete!" Daisy ignored him, a blood-vessel popping on her forehead. "She's like the adorable little sibling I NEVER had."

"Hey!" Gary spat in outrage. "Are you saying I'm NOT adorable?"

"Let's go upstairs, Leaf," Daisy said, dragging the girl along. "I'll get you tucked into your new bed!"

"But we haven't had tea yet," Leaf quietly protested, the both of them disappearing upstairs.

Distraught by this sudden development, Gary quickly staggered up after them, only to find them already surveying his room and making plans.

"And out this window is a view of the lab. Oh. See? These curtains are so thick and dark because the boy who lived here WAS a light sleeper, so he needed them. Of course we'll replace them with something beautiful and luxurious, and we'll leave them open until then," Daisy declared. "But first things first." She began peeling all the coverings off the bed. "I should change these sheets. They belonged to a boy, so they might smell kind of funky."

"Isn't this Gary's room?" Leaf asked uncomfortably.

"Well, the funniest thing happened today," Daisy said delightfully, clasping her hands together, all while dropping the blankets. "My little brother is setting out on an adventure, from which he may never return, so he's bequeathing everything to you!"

"Whoa! Wait a minute," Gary protested, finally asserting his presence. "I'm not even gone yet, and you've already replaced me? And with my OWN hobo?_"_

"When you're Champion, you won't EVER need to come back home." Daisy threw her arms up, trying to both change the subject and defend her decision.

"Heh. Well we'll see about that," Gary answered confidently. "Wait... You're just trying to distract me!"

"It's illegal to own humans," Leaf informed the room.

"Boy-child, go fetch your spare sheets from the cupboard," Daisy commanded, addressing her disowned brother.

"You can't talk to me that way!" he arrogantly declared, throwing back his head. "I'm Gary Oak– a man who doesn't stand for ANY woman's nonsense."

That night, Gary crept into his room to pack, stopping beside his stolen bed and ruefully observing Leaf's curled figure. Resting atop fresh sheets, she breathed shortly, unaware of anything but her hobo dreams.

Grumbling something about letting her sleep a little while more, Gary leaned over her and tugged down her dress– his forwent shirt– which had somehow hiked up, baring the girl's thighs. "I don't get you at all," he said, making sure she was covered right. "Aren't you cold?" Stepping back, he tried to mind his own business, but inadvertently became enticed by a sweet aroma in the process. Wafting forward, it beckoned him to follow.

By nature, Gary had a sensitive nose– a nose capable of smelling the components of any living being. Zinc, sodium, fruit oil, glucose, and sweet pheromones filled his lungs, compelling him to lean halfway onto the bed. Breathing deeply, he gripped the blankets and stuck his nose into Leaf's hair, closing his eyes. _I don't know why,_ he thought; _but she smells good. How can any hobo smell this way? _It didn't make any sense.

His slight weight on the bed was just enough to alert her. Rolling over with a huff, she unconsciously latched the crook of her elbow around his neck, pulling him closer.

"Hey, wait a minute," Gary complained. "I know it's hard, but you can't just smooch MY greatness whenever you feel like it. There's important procedures to follow! First of all, you MUST be awake–"

"–back," Leaf whispered, almost inaudibly.

"Huh?" Baffled, Gary stopped his conceited yammering and listened, finally paying close attention. Studying the girl's face in the dim light, he noticed that her cheeks were gleaming, and that her closed eyelids were twitching, faintly.

"Brother," she murmured again. A steady flow of tears were streaming down and rolling to her ears.

Unexplainably terrified, Gary jumped back, pacing around the room, panicking foolishly before at last remembering what he had planned to do. Packing at an extreme rate, he put EVERYTHING he owned into his duffle bag– everything except the furnishings and a big red poncho– which he threw on top of Leaf. Just the poncho, of course.

"Wake up," he exclaimed, turning the light on and jolting the girl from her slumber. "Put that on and go get your shoes."

Mumbling, Leaf yawned and painfully pried her eyes open, blinking steadily to clear her sight. Once she realized that she had been crying, however, she grabbed the poncho and hid behind it. "Give me back my hat," she muffled out.

"Not until you get dressed," he said.

"What is this? What's going on?" She scurried under the poncho, slipping it over her head. "Are we going to battle now?"

"No, I'm leaving! You're coming with me."

"Why?"

"Because I said so!"

"I don't understand wh–"

"–then it's because I have your hat! Haha!"

Pulling her head through the poncho, she uncovered her face and revealed a stubborn scowl. "Why are you doing this?" she asked. "Give me my hat back and I'll leave. That's all I want and that's all you have to do."

"I'll do whatever I want," he snapped, getting in her face and frowning selfishly. "And if you're not going with me, I'm taking you!" Snagging her off the bed, he carried her down the stairs, ignoring her bewildered exclamations.

"What are– why are you–"

"–Shh!" he hushed irritatedly; "Stop talking so much! You'll wake Daisy!

_You're the talkative one! _she thought, quite annoyed; _Waking me up just so you can trouble me..._

As soon as they descended the final step, Leaf pushed herself free, squirming loose and stumbling away.

"Give me back my hat," she demanded in a harsh whisper. "Or I'll kick you."

Grabbing her arm, Gary pulled her for the door, grabbing her shoes in the entryway and leading him and her outside.

When the door shut behind them, Leaf pulled her arm away and socked him in the shoulder.

"Ow!" he cried; "I thought you said you'd kick me!"

"I can't explain how angry I am right now," she rushed; "It's unbelievable! I dislike hating people, but I'll say this: I don't like you!"

Thinking on this for awhile, Gary pulled an obnoxious smirk. "So you... hate hating?" he asked.

She punched his shoulder again and he retaliated, grabbing her fist and struggling to keep it from striking once more.

"If you don't like me," he uttered through clenched teeth; "then run away. Your hat can't be that important, can it?"

Stopping, she pulled away and calmly sat down on the door step. "Shoes," she said, taking them and slipping them on. Standing up, she stubbed each toe against the ground several times and proceeded to walk backwards– approximately eight steps.

"So you're running away?" Gary goaded, crossing his arms. "After all that fuss... you're just giving up?" He craned his neck and smirked again. "Heh. Typical."

Running the expanse between them, Leaf jumped up– right foot raised and left knee bent– kicking him square in the jaw.

"Give me back–" she growled, watching him fall to the ground; "–MY HAAAT–"

Her enraged voice echoed over Pallet Town's rooftops, bringing about a rumpus of pidgey, who fluttered from the surrounding treetops and cried into the night, "**PID-GAH! PID-GAH!**" Yes, those foolish birds rightfully chirped and screeched, but their disturbed slumber was nothing compared to Gary Oak's dumb agony.

Laughing slowly– and then hysterically– he raised himself up off the ground, holding his dirt-smudged face in pain. "I was going to give you back your hat, anyways," he said, staving off the pain. "Today, even!" He sat up. "So come with me... because I definitely," he swore, "want to make you like me!"

_~To be continued...~_

* * *

**Props to Meta-Akira for getting the title's pun-tastical nature. Because Leaf is indeed turning over a new– *puts on shades***

**–leaf.  
**

**"YEAAAAAAAAAH!"**


End file.
